Website of the Department of Health

Innovation in world class commissioning

World class commissioners promote continuous improvements in quality and outcomes through clinical and provider innovation. In partnership with local clinicians, practice based commissioners, and providers, they will specify required quality and outcomes facilitating supplier and contractor innovation that delivers at best value.

Innovation is key to world class commissioning.  In order to commission new and innovative health and care solutions, commissioners themselves will need to develop new and innovative ways of working.

Competency 8 of the world class commissioning assurance system, focuses specifically on the importance of innovation in delivering improvement in quality and outcomes.  Indeed, wiithout innovation, PCTs will find it difficult to meet their local community’s growing expectations for quality, access and personalisation. 

To support greater innovation, the NHS Institute and DH have published ‘ Commissioning to make a Bigger Difference’, a practical guide on innovation which provides PCTs and Practice Based Commissioners with the skills and techniques needed to assess the creativity of provider solutions and to develop the right local conditions for innovation to flourish.  The guide is supported by a series of free workshops for teams of commissioners to practice the tools and techniques and apply them to local issues.

• Commissioning to make a bigger difference - A guide for NHS and social care commissioners on promoting service innovation
• Innovation Council